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However, Tobias’sin a different direction "Where do you suppose she is?" he asked

"Amarinda could have made it back to Drylliad by now," I said "And if not, Harloill have sent out orders to search for her everywhere"

"So will Vargan" He shook his head, clearly angry with hi happens --"

"Trust her to protect herself She is intelligent and resourceful, and stronger than she’s ever been given credit for"

"I know all that!" Tobias nearly spat the words at me "I knoho she is, and probably better than you!"

I turned to hiht’ve been harsher if the worry wasn’t etched so deeply into the lines of his face In a gentle tone, I only said, "We will find her, Tobias"

We fell silent then, and my attention went down the hill to a trail that looked as if it had been worn by hundreds of footsteps I doubted they were Carthyan -- no commander of mine would’ve led our soldiers on a march this close to Avenia’s border It was too risky

But someone -- likely soldiers of Avenia or Mendenwal -- had recently coh here

We ducked low, just in case they were near, and then watched and waited Within a few minutes, Mott joined us and we debated whether to follow their trail or to proceed to Falstan in an entirely different direction

"Wait a minute" Tobias held up his hand to silence us "Just wait Do you hear that?"

If I listened carefully, then I did hear so up the hillside from somewhere near the trail below

Tobias rose up tall, clearly with the intention of going down to investigate, but Mott pulled him back

"He sounds injured," Tobias hissed "We have to help if he is"

"He’s an eneh to return to the battlefield and kill more of our men"

"But that man isn’t our enemy" Tobias turned tois your enemy?"

I had said that But had I trulywas a trap to lure us in, which was the last thing I wanted to face If we e in a fight where only one of us walked away But if he was injured and helpless, off the field of war, did I then have an obligation to try to save his life?

Obligation or not, I couldn’t just leave hi my tio down the dark paths they had followed I would not become as they were

So I nodded my permission at Tobias, then Mott and I pulled out our swords to accompany him down the hillside This didn’t feel like a trick, but we had to be cautious nonetheless

Tobias saw the ht up to him and couldn’t help but join in This man -- this supposed enemy -- wasn’t htened larabbed his leg and whisked hi that wasn’t attached to hi a poorly h to skewer a plum He wore a livery si that his face had now becoht

When he saw us co you to help Please, getat nearby bushes to be sure no one else was hiding there He rotated his weight until he turned to Mott, the oldest of our group and the one he would naturally suspect was in charge